Question

What do the following lines reveal about the emotional state of the poet/narrator?

For I have known them all already, known them all:
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room.
So how should I presume?

A. He is overconfident in his writing.
B. He is too active and busy to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation.
C. He has a severe caffeine addiction.
D. He feels insufficient to the task of saying anything at all.

Answer 1

The poet/narrator expresses an emotional state of routine ennui and self-doubt, feeling insufficient to task, rather than overconfidence, busyness, or a literal addiction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The lines from the poem reveal that the poet,narrator, is experiencing a sense of existential ennui and a profound connection with routine mundane experiences. The phrase "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons" suggests a meticulous but trivial engagement with the passing of time, reflecting a monotonous and possibly unfulfilled life. The repetitive mention of "I have known" underscores a weariness and saturation with life's experiences, while the final rhetorical question "So how should I presume?" hints at a self-doubt or hesitancy to make assertions or take actions. This emotional state points to a feeling of insufficiency or helplessness (option D), rather than overconfidence (A), being too busy (B), or a literal caffeine addiction (C).